Vehicle Engineer (RAIL)
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Wmata)
Design, test, and troubleshoot railcar systems while leading vehicle engineering projects.
11 days ago ago
Intermediate (4-7 years), Experienced (8-12 years)
Full Time
Washington, DC
Onsite
Company Size
5,000 Employees
Service Specialisms
Engineering
Construction
Project Management
Planning
Consulting
Technical Services
Transportation Services
Sector Specialisms
Transport
Infrastructure
Government
Real Estate
Safety
Accessibility
System Maintenance
Rail Maintenance
Role
What you would be doing
technical evaluation
vehicle testing
performance analysis
cost analysis
preventive maintenance
configuration control
- Performs engineering and technical evaluation of new vehicles and newly installed, modified, or existing equipment to ensure conformity with WMATAs installation, performance, and maintenance standards. Analyzes the above-mentioned modifications for potential effects in the area of rail car/track equipment or transit buses, or non-revenue service vehicles cost, time requirements and reliability.
- Evaluates the performance of transit rail car and maintenance vehicle systems, subsystems and components or transit buses, or non-revenue service vehicles to determine the nature and cause of problems that develop in the course of their operation and recommends corrective actions or special maintenance procedures that will eliminate future failures.
- Respond to incidents, conducts incident investigations, and writes formal report of findings.
- Verification of education and experience (including certifications and licenses)
- Reviews equipment condition and reliability and recommends systems or subsystems for replacement or rehabilitation under the Capital Improvement Program. Performs life cycle cost analysis to determine effectiveness of current systems and equipment in meeting service requirements.
- Investigates and prepares reports on technical studies relating to design, compatibility, maintenance and testing requirements of rail car/track equipment systems and subsystems or transit buses, or non-revenue service vehicles.
- Performs duties of the Roadway Worker in Charge as assigned in support of rail vehicle/maintenance of way equipment track testing.
- Tests vehicles using various test and data acquisition systems to evaluate operational performance parameters.
- Ensures that the requirements for new rapid transit cars, maintenance vehicles, or transit buses, or non-revenue service vehicles and their related systems, subsystems, and support equipment are included in WMATA specifications.
- Review of a current motor vehicle report
- Develops preventive maintenance procedures for equipment and recommends adjustments to maintenance schedules as necessary to improve reliability or respond to changing operating conditions.
- Develops technical specifications and designs for new vehicles and/or replacement equipment, develops implementation schedules and coordinates installation, monitors progress and schedules to ensure adherence to timetables, budgets, and contract completion. Develops effective standards for equipment and system testing, determining cause and effect of maintenance failures.
- Performs engineering and design work to assist with maintaining Engineering documentation within the EPDM system, for the Configuration Control Management process. Ensures configuration control for technical documentation, maintenance manuals and drawings.
- Directs the operational tests of rapid transit car systems and subsystems or transit buses, or non-revenue service vehicles in coordination with maintenance or engineering personnel.
- Evaluates technical proposals, cost estimates, specifications, and designs for compliance with WMATAs operational needs.
- Maintains and promotes awareness and accountability with safety policies and procedures while performing job functions. Promotes a positive safety culture and encourages reporting of safety concerns consistent with our Agency Safety Plan, other regulatory requirements within the Safety Management System and just culture principles.
- Reviews contractor submittals, evaluate test procedures, maintenance manuals and inspection schedules for new equipment and recommend improvements to enhance reliability objectives.
- Serves as project engineer for procurement of equipment or services related to rail cars and maintenance vehicles or transit buses or non-revenue service vehicles.
What you bring
specs development
3 years
bachelor's
hs diploma
background check
medical screening
- Experience in developing equipment specifications is desired.
- Three (3) years of progressively responsible engineering experience performing rail/maintenance of way vehicle engineering tasks (i.e. troubleshooting, vehicle/sub- system testing, component/sub-system design, development & review of technical documentation).
- In lieu of a bachelor's degree, a High School Diploma and four (4) years of experience performing vehicle engineering tasks (i.e. troubleshooting, vehicle/sub-system testing, component/sub-system design, development & review of technical documentation) may be considered.
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical, Electrical or a related Engineering field
- Criminal Background Check (a criminal conviction is not an automatic bar to employment)
- Medical examination including a drug and alcohol screening (for safety sensitive positions)
- Skills and/or behavioral assessment
- Personal interview
Information not given or found
Interview process
- skills and/or behavioral assessment
- personal interview
Information not given or found
Security clearance- criminal background check (not an automatic bar to employment)
- medical examination including drug and alcohol screening
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Company
Overview
Founded 1967
Year Established
The year the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority was created.
90 Stations
Metrorail Stops
Number of stations across the extensive rail network.
100 Miles
Track Network
Total length of Metrorail tracks spanning the region.
- WMATA operates the Metrorail, Metrobus, and MetroAccess services, providing essential transportation for millions of commuters annually.
- It serves the urban and suburban areas across Washington D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, making it one of the busiest transit systems in the U.S.
- The authority also operates an extensive network of Metrobus routes, ensuring that public transport is accessible across a broad geographical area.
- MetroAccess offers specialized paratransit services for individuals with disabilities, making transportation accessible for all.
- WMATA’s projects include major capital improvements, such as rail station upgrades, new buses, and implementing advanced fare collection technologies.
- A key aspect of WMATA's focus is to continually innovate, ensuring the transit system is safe, reliable, and sustainable for future generations.
- Unique to WMATA is its commitment to serving not just the daily commuters, but also tourists, government employees, and those attending major events in the region.
- Recruit, hire and retain top talent where individuals feel valued, supported, and proud of their contribution
- Engagement, empowerment, and recognition: empower employees, promote collaboration, and continuously improve culture
- Professional and technical skill development: invest in staff, expand career pathways and develop next‑gen leaders and technical experts
- Implement strategic workforce planning to close talent and skill gaps through recruiting, retraining, and upskilling
- Establish employee value proposition to position Metro as a great place to work and increase overall satisfaction
- Execute succession planning to ensure business continuity and reduce uncertainty among staff
- Create performance evaluation framework that supports engagement and recognition
- Develop culture‑change strategy to increase engagement across the organization
- Create an innovation incubator to foster creativity and reward ideas that improve safety, efficiency, processes, and reduce silos
- Develop internal customer‑service strategy to enable better collaboration and boost external customer service
7.37b Cost
Zero-Emission Transition Cost
Total lifecycle cost for transitioning to a zero-emission fleet through FY 2055.
35,000 Vehicles
Equivalent Energy Savings
Annual energy savings from the Energy Action Plan, equivalent to removing 35,000 vehicles from the roads.
65m Investment
Energy Action Plan Funding
Total investment in the FY 2025 Energy Action Plan, aiming for significant annual energy and operational savings.
2m Savings
Annual Lighting Savings
Annual savings from Philips LED lighting retrofit since 2013.
- Transition to 100% zero‑emission bus fleet by 2042 (accelerated from 2045)
- Achieve 100% zero‑emission bus purchases by 2027
- Have five of nine bus garages equipped for zero‑emission buses by 2031, first garage operational by 2027, all by 2041
- Deploy 10 battery‑electric buses by 2024 as part of pilot and evaluation
- Construct modern, efficient facilities following LEED standards
- Implement solar carports generating clean energy, featuring LED lighting, security cameras and shaded parking
- Pilot sustainability calculator in Trip Planner so riders can see carbon‑footprint reduction
42% Female
Employee Diversity
Approximately 42% of the workforce consists of female employees, as reported on LinkedIn.
- Recruit and hire a workforce that reflects the community served.
- Value the ideas, enthusiasm, and ambition each person brings.
- Respect and value employees, recognizing their essential contributions.
- Equal-Opportunity Employer: Consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, etc.
- Diverse workforce supports world-class transit service.
- Ongoing recruitment plans include building diverse candidate pools.
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